The use of Botox for cosmetic purposes began with treating expression lines of the upper face, mainly the frown area. Still, the most common place for people to first receive Botox injections is between the eyebrows to correct those vertical frown lines. Today, most cosmetic doctors and patients are most familiar with using Botox to inject the upper face to also treat crow’s feet, or the smile lines on the sides of the eyes, and horizontal lines on the forehead.

One reason that the upper face is a common Botox treatment area is because the muscles located there are easy to locate, assess and inject, which helps to easily minimize the risk of any side effects.  Depending on your age and desired appearance, it is common to get Botox every 3-6 months. Some people prefer to receive another treatment as soon as they see movement coming back in the treated areas, while some like to wait longer enjoying a more softened effect.

Until more recently it was considered taboo to use Botox for cosmetic reasons on the mid and lower part of the face. This is because the lower facial muscles have more anatomical complexity than the upper facial muscles, which led to uncertainty about the dosage required and a greater risk of unwanted muscles being affected. This could result in uneven facial expressions and also effect things like chewing and speaking.

In the mid area of the face, the use of Botox is limited and very specific. Typically, fillers are used in this area to help fill in lines and wrinkles and return the volume to aging skin. Botox is most frequently used here to treat the bunny or Nasalis lines, which are wrinkles on the outer sides of the nose.

When it comes to the lower face, Botox is used not only to reduce lines but also to reduce creases by providing a “lift” in an age-affected area. This technique is now used in the smile creases running from side of the nose to the corner of the mouth, the nasolabial folds, to lessen their appearance, as well as in the corners of the mouth to fix a droopy, angry expression.

Another newer use for Botox in the lower face is for reducing the jowls and creating a smoother jawline. This is sometimes also referred to as the “Nefertiti lift.” Using Botox in the neck is not a new, but it was typically done differently in the past using large doses on large areas of the neck, which resulted in an expensive temporary treatment that had added risks of unwanted side effects such as swallowing and speech impairment, and even difficulty holding the head straight. The Nefertiti lift involves a more careful assessment of the musculature in the neck and lower face, which allows for much smaller doses (50 – 70% less) and fewer injections. This makes it a more affordable treatment, providing the same, or even better, results without the risk of side effects. Loose, sagging neck skin can also be improved by injecting Botox further down each vertical platysmal neck muscle band. This causes the looser envelope of skin to sit closer to the neck, providing a neck lift effect.

While Botox is most known for its cosmetic uses, there are many other treatments that incorporate Botox. Two common uses of Botox outside of cosmetic procedures include treatment for migraines and hyperhidrosis.

What is Getting Botox for Migraines Like?

Approximately 12% of people in America suffer from intense migraine pain. It was accidentally discovered that Botox injections could have a positive effect on migraines when people who were getting Botox treatment in their foreheads for cosmetic reasons noticed that their headaches were improved. Since then, Botox for migraines has become the only FDA approved treatment for a chronic migraine. It is also the only migraine treatment that actually prevents migraines, unlike other acute treatments that work to treat a headache after it starts.

Getting Botox for migraines consists of multiple injections around the head and neck at approximately 12-week intervals. Depending on the person, these Botox injections can dull future headache symptoms for up to 3 months at a time. The injection process uses a very small needle and takes about 15 minutes to complete. Even though the treatment consists of 31 injections in 7 areas of the head and neck, the Botox is injected into shallow muscles and most people say that they just feel a tiny pinprick.

Is Botox for Migraines Right for Me?

When you experience frequent or reoccurring migraines, they may be referred to as “chronic migraines.” A chronic migraine is different in that it is a chronic condition that can benefit from preventive treatments. A chronic migraine is defined as having 15 or more days per month that you experience a headache lasting 4 hours or more, with at least 8 of those days associated with a migraine.

You need to continue your Botox treatment for a chronic migraine every 12 weeks, or else you may not see the benefits. Most physicians who provide this treatment recommend starting with 2 treatments, 12 weeks apart. You should notice a reduction in your headache days over the course of those 24 weeks, and then from there you and your doctor can decide if it is best for you to continue with the recommended treatment every 12 weeks.

Botox for Hyperhidrosis

The official term for excessive sweating out of the underarms, hands, feet, groin, and face is Hyperhidrosis. If you suffer from this condition then you are familiar with issues like ruining your clothes and embarrassment from constant sweating in everyday situations,  new situations, when you’re stressed or anxious or when you’re meeting new people.

Botox injections (onabotulinumtoxinA) can be used as a treatment for severe underarm sweating (severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis) when topical medications do not work for people 18 years and older.  As of now, Botox is not used to treat excessive sweating in other areas of the body because the safety and effectiveness are still unknown.

For Botox underarm hyperhidrosis treatment, an entire 100 unit vial is typically required (50 units in each armpit). You want to make sure that your dosage is enough, because if you use less than the clinical amount then it will not be effective for as long. A topical numbing cream is applied to the armpits before the injections, and most patients report only a mild discomfort at worst. The results from this treatment typically last about 6 months.

Non-surgical facial fillers can be used to instantly smooth out the lines along the sides of your nose and mouth, as well as add volume and fullness to your skin to correct moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds, giving you a more youthful and relaxed appearance. There are different filler options depending on the specific area(s) you would like treated, and they provide natural-looking results for up to a year with optimal treatment from our experienced and specialist practitioners.

Dermal fillers can also be used for lip augmentations to give you fuller, plumper lips. There are many options available for hyaluronic acid fillers that can be injected in your lips and around your mouth. These improve the appearance of your lips by adding shape, structure, and volume. This is an ideal treatment for lips that have always been thin due to genetics, have thinned out as a result of age or smoking, are already full but would like more definition, or to correct asymmetry between the top and bottom lips.

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